Biography:John Stockwell was born March 25, 1961, in Galveston, Texas. He says he took up acting as a way to "please the girls", but he stayed with it because of the freedom to explore all types of emotions and to do unconventional things. Nearly all of his early acting experience was confined to neighborhood "garage theater" productions ("We even did The Sound of Music") in Galveston until 1973 when the Stockwell family moved to the "Big Apple" following the transfer of his attorney father.
During high school (St. Paul's), John began working in little theaters, both on and off campus, won a state play contest, dabbled in directing, and got an agent following his Equity stage debut in the Playwrights' Horizon production of "Three Boys".
At 17, John Enrolled at Harvard University with a major in Visual and Environmental Studies ("A fancy title for study of the craft of acting and production.") At the same time, he was working as a paid actor as a regular castJohn Stockwell was born March 25, 1961, in Galveston, Texas. He says he took up acting as a way to "please the girls", but he stayed with it because of the freedom to explore all types of emotions and to do unconventional things. Nearly all of his early acting experience was confined to neighborhood "garage theater" productions ("We even did The Sound of Music") in Galveston until 1973 when the Stockwell family moved to the "Big Apple" following the transfer of his attorney father.
During high school (St. Paul's), John began working in little theaters, both on and off campus, won a state play contest, dabbled in directing, and got an agent following his Equity stage debut in the Playwrights' Horizon production of "Three Boys".
At 17, John Enrolled at Harvard University with a major in Visual and Environmental Studies ("A fancy title for study of the craft of acting and production.") At the same time, he was working as a paid actor as a regular cast member on, "The Guiding Light", the longest running soap opera on TV.
John's fellow students aided him in his career by taping the course work for him. "I did better when I was away from schoo," he said, "because I was so paranoid that I was going to miss something. I doubled my effort." John was also, at the same time, studying with Hal Asprey at the Actor's Workshop of New York University's School of the Arts. Later on, John travelled to England to attend the Royal Academy Dramatic Arts when he trained in fencing and stage fighting, studied vocal techniques and modulation, vocal interpretation at the National Theatre and the Alexander Technique. Back in New York, he continued his frenetic lifestyle as lead singer and guitarist with the New York rock band, "The Brood".
John's numerous stage appearances have included roles in Shakespearean and contemporary plays, among them Tennessee William's "Camino Real" and "Ah, Wilderness", "Loot", and "Spring's Awakening" performed at the Brighton (England) Festival, and "MacBeth" and "The Merry Wives of Windsor" at the Houston Shakespeare Festival. His television credits include starring roles in "Quarterback Princess", a CB S movie-of-the-week, and "Too Good To Be True" for NBC. He made his feature film debut in 1981, while in his third year at Harvard, in Warner Brothers' "So Fine" with Ryan O'Neal and Jack Warden. The following year he was cast in Embassy Pictures' "Losin' It" with Tom Cruise and Shelly Long. Harvard recognized his participation in that film with a course credit for practical knowledge in filmmaking.
After graduating from Harvard, John relocated to Los Angeles and settled down in Venice. He snagged starring roles in "Christine", "City Limits", "Radioactive Dreams", "My Science Project", "Dangerously Close". He purchased a home in Malibu and acquired a rottweiler, "Kaiser von Stockwell". ("My favorite dog. I saw them in 'The Omen' and wanted one immediately.") John is an dedicated motocrosser, windersurfer and an avid reader.
The above information was taken from his featured bio sent out with presskits of his movie, "My Science Project".
and his "official bio":

Official Bio:

JOHN STOCKWELL
director/screenwriter

Director/screenwriter John Stockwell revels in moral complexity. Whether creating a drama about the inventors of the silicone breast implant, or a teacher instructing his students to lie and cheat, or a sexually aggressive teenage girl finding redemption through love, Stockwell embraces the opportunity to bring challenging material and unconventional characters to the screen. For this reason, Stockwell is one of the busiest men in Hollywood, currently working on several wide-ranging, yet equally novel projects.
Scheduled for release in late June, Touchstone Pictures' CRAZY/BEAUTIFUL is that rarity among today's teen films, a raw and boldly erotic drama that eschews quick or easy resolutions. It stars the versatile Kirsten Dunst, who sheds her girl-next-door image to play a troubled and provocative teenager who finds a measure of hope and happiness when she falls in love with a poor Latino boy (newcomer Jay Hernandez). Filming entirely on location in Los Angeles, Stockwell achieves a lucid aura of voyeuristic realism, juxtaposing the affluent world of Malibu with that of working class, immigrant Boyle Heights, and infusing the film with a faintly blue austerity that reflects the inner conflict at its core.
Stockwell segues from teenage angst to rock 'n roll celebrity with the September release ROCK STAR, which he wrote for Warner Bros. Directed by Stephen Herek (Mr. Holland's Opus), it is a drama about the obsessed lead singer of a heavy metal tribute band who lands the gig of his dreams. Much to the chagrin of his friends and family, Stockwell spent months immersing himself in heavy metal culture to obtain the script's gritty authenticity. With a talented ensemble cast headed by Mark Wahlberg and Jennifer Aniston, ROCK STAR should be one of the season's most highly anticipated films.
Also on the horizon for Stockwell are three diverse projects in various stages of development. Columbia Pictures' I WOULD DIE FOR YOU, which Stockwell will rewrite and direct, is a smart and sexy thriller about a young man struggling with the virtues of commitment and monogamy and how a fatal misstep comes back to haunt him. The film is expected to go into production at the end of the year. He also is set to rewrite and direct SURF GIRLS for Imagine Entertainment and Universal. The story is a romance set against the world of big-wave surfing. Lastly, Stockwell is currently re-writing (with original screenwriter Elisa Bell) and will direct YOUR LIFE IS NOW for Marc Platt at Universal, a carefully observed character piece about a recent college graduate's struggle to find her place in the world.
Stockwell's present reign of success began in 1997, when he wrote the HBO docudrama BREAST MEN, starring David Schwimmer, Chris Cooper, Emily Procter and Louise Fletcher. Based on a true story about the rise and eventual fall of the two Texas doctors who invented silicone breast implants, it was singled out for its frank and even-handed treatment of a very public and controversial subject. Stockwell followed that with HBO's critically acclaimed CHEATERS -- which he also directed -- a dark, twisted morality tale about the real-life Chicago high school English teacher who persuaded his students to cheat in the 1995 Illinois Academic Decathlon. Bringing together a gifted ensemble of veteran and up-and-coming actors - including Jeff Daniels, Paul Sorvino and Jena Malone - Stockwell crafted a bracing, emotionally resonant drama that compelled viewers to redefine their ideas of right and wrong, garnering him an Emmy nomination in the process.
Stockwell's intuitive verité style, and his facility with both established and rising young talent, stem in part from his many years as an actor. After earning his undergraduate degree at Harvard, Stockwell entered New York University's filmmaking program, but gave that up in favor of a real-world education. While performing in a string of features and television movies - Losin' It, Christine, Top Gun, "North and South," "Billionaire Boys Club" - Stockwell watched, eavesdropped, asked questions, took notes and generally made a pest of himself on the set, all in an effort to learn everything he could about being a filmmaker.